TRIO Student Support Services
TRIO Student Support Services is a federally funded Title IV grant program through the U.S. Department of Education. It is a college program serving first-generation, low-income, and students with disabilities seeking an AA degree and/or certificate (full eligibility criteria here). The goal of the program is to foster an institutional climate supportive to the success of eligible participants and increase the retention, graduation, transfer rate, and financial literacy of participants. Big Bend Community College has has a TRIO SSS Classic grant since 1997 and in 2020 added a TRIO SSS STEM grant.
Every year the TRIO SSS Program at BBCC serves 310 eligible Big Bend students (120 STEM). The program is designed to help students find success in college. Participants benefit from academic tutoring, academic monitoring, financial aid assistance (including applying to financial aid and scholarships), success workshops, financial and economic literacy, and academic, transfer, career and personal advising.
TRIO Works! Past TRIO SSS student testimonials here.
Did you know you could schedule directly onto your TRIO advisor’s calendar through Starfish? Below are the individual calendar links!
TRIO SSS has four full-time academic advisors. Their main responsibility is support the students on their caseload to attain academic success! TRIO advisors understand degree requirements, help you select classes, and develop a balanced schedule as you work toward the completion of your educational plans. They also help you access other departments and resources on campus that could best serve you in successfully reaching your educational and career goals. If you goal is to transfer after BBCC, TRIO advisors work tirelessly to make sure you have a smooth transition to the 4-year institution, your major, and the new community.
TRIO SSS advisors support participants in acquiring financial assistance for college. This includes individual and group assistance in completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) , submitting additional financial aid forms/documents, reapplying for financial aid after suspension (SAP appeal), and applying for additional funding sources like scholarships and community resources/fuding. Help us help you have the funding you need to attend college!
If transferring after BBCC is your goal, there are many things to consider. Where will you attend? What major will you claim? How will you pay for it? Where will you live? TRIO SSS advisors help participants look at transferring holistically and to make sure they are fully prepared for the transfer process.
As a transfer student, there will be many new challenges, responsibilities, requirements, and changes. A campus visit is your opportunity to get a firsthand view of a college. A college catalog, brochure or website can only show you so much. To really get a feel for the college, you need to walk around the quad, sit in on a class and visit the dorms. You also can get crucial information from admission counselors that allows you to ask specific questions about such things as career services, financial aid, academics, and even dining options. TRIO SSS takes participants on college campus visits throughout the academic year.
TRIO SSS holds workshops (in person and online) on topics range from building academic skills, assistance completing the financial aid application, applying to scholarships and/or jobs, and MORE!
The TRIO SSS STEM Peer Mentoring project at Big Bend Community College pairs TRIO STEM Scholars with Mentors who are BBCC alum and are pursuing a STEM major at a four-year institution. Through one-on-one meetings and group workshops, the peer mentors provide a space for mentees to enhance their sense of belonging in the STEM field, and gain knowledge to increase success in the transfer process.
What does a STEM Peer Mentor help you with?
- Tips for transferring to a university
- Tips for succeeding in your STEM classes
- BBCC resources
- Personal growth topics
Learn about the program more here!
TRIO SSS offers a year-round for credit first year college success course available to all first-year TRIO students. This class is called CSS 103: First-Year Student Success. Only TRIO students are eligible to participate in the section TRIO staff teaches. By participating you learn college success skills and engage in more TRIO program services. TRIO staff highly encourages all first-year students to participate!
As a transfer student, there will be many new challenges, responsibilities, requirements, and changes. The transfer bridge program a 2-day workshop series designed to help TRIO students through the transfer planning process!
Throughout the program, students will learn skills and strategies on how to successfully transfer to a 4-year university or community college. A guide is also provided to further assist students in the process with ease!
Cultural events are activities or academic programs not usually available to TRIO-eligible students. These events occur throughout the year, but more readily provided in conjunction with a college campus visit. Therefore, travel is also provided. But, if proper documentation is submitted and approved, a student is able to transport themselves.
One of the services TRIO SSS can offer is emergency aid called Grant Aid. Grant aid is for emergency situations and requires additional eligibility.
- An active TRIO SSS scholar
- Receiving Pell grant (from FAFSA)
- Have unmet need (from FAFSA)
- Experiencing hardship
IMPORTANT NOTICES:
- An active TRIO SSS scholar is enrolled and is in good standing with the program.
- TRIO SSS Grant Aid is limited in funds. Once funds are depleted we will close this application for the remainder of the academic year (application will reopen Fall 2025).
- Maximum award is $750 for the academic year.
Fill out the grant aid application to see if you are eligible.
As a BBCC TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) Scholar, you now have access to various resources/platforms that are only available for TRIO students! Here is a link to the website of program-supported resources.
There are several steps to apply to the BBCC TRIO SSS Program including an online application, two intake meetings, and verification of household income. Click here to see the full steps and to start applying!
TRIO SSS Staff
Christian, Phillip
Mather, Taylor
Evangelista-Martinez, Jasmine
Chen, Astrid
Brischle, Cheryl
Guadarrama, Veronica
The BBCC TRIO SSS Program is fully funded (100%) on a five-year grant cycle and must reapply for funding at the end of each cycle. The TRIO Student Support Services Classic grant is funded at $335,053 per year and serves 190 participants. The TRIO Student Support Services, STEM grant is funded at $261,888 per year and serves 120 participants.